DLA to be replaced by PIP from 2013/14

December 6, 2010

DWP is now looking to scrap the DLA by 2013/14 and replace it with something called Personal Independence Payment, to “help disabled people remove the barriers they face to leading full and independent lives.”

The assessment will be objective, reflect the impact of the barriers disabled people may experience, and make sure they are treated as individuals. Central to Personal Independence Payment will be a new, fairer, objective assessment, which will allow us to identify those who face the greatest need, in a more consistent and transparent manner. We are developing the new assessment in collaboration with a group of independent specialists in health, social care and disability, including disabled people. Personal Independence Payment will be based on need not income and will be a more active benefit, recognising changes to individuals’ situations and taking account of the support that disabled people can access to help them live independently. Where possible, we will signpost individuals to support that may help them manage their condition. We will ensure that the award continues to reflect the individual’s changing needs over time by building in periodic reviews.

We want to know who these independent specialists might mean? And how independent will they be and who is paying these specialists and why did they think they need to replace the DLA in the first place?

Disabled people have to go through many hurdles to get the DLA anyway – this will enforce their fears that the Coalition intents to cut the existing benefits and put up more barriers to independent living.

Disabled people and their organisations should absolutely voice their rights in the consultation.

17 Responses to “DLA to be replaced by PIP from 2013/14”

We need to be aware of how the discourse of “self-improvement” – after years of having been used as a tool to attack on unemployed jobseekers – is now being deployed against people with disabilities. By framing these changes in terms of “empowering individuals”, the government hopes to extinguish the space from which individuals can object to, challenge, and resist these cuts.

Disabled People Against Cuts ( DPAC) totally condemn the proposed scrapping of DLA. This is yet another example of a complete U turn by the coalition government who promised to protect Disabled people and are now doing exactly the opposite. This must be seen as another outright attack against us all. Together with the swingeing cuts to care funding already occurring in places like Birmingham, Camden and Kensington and Chelsea it will force any ideas of independence, choice and control for disabled people back to the 1970s. Disabled people will become trapped and institutionalised in their own home due to the lack of support.

In essence the consultation document seems to be saying that if you need support .and get funding from another source then you will not be eligible for a Personal Independence Payment but at the same time that if you don’t get funding for support from another source then in this case too you will not be eligible for PIP. Will any disabled people therefore be eligible?

We are further concerned that while the government claim to be consulting with disabled people this is not being done in any meaningful way and they seem oblivious to any of the problems disabled people face, completely ignoring their needs and the additional costs of being disabled.

We further question how reforming the system of DLA to PIP will achieve the stated objectives of the government to save money and feel this is simply a further ideological attack against disabled people who they have already castigated as benefit scroungers.

what is in small print (as usual) of the consultataion is that if you need support funding from elsewhere you won’t get DLA and if you don’t need support funding from somewhere you won’t get it either. Another Catch 22 situation but it will yet agains take any choice and control away from us. This is NOT FAIR, NOT PROGRESSIVE, but highly REGRESSIVE.

As a recipient of DLA myself and just newly being one of the 850 in Aberdeenshire to be changed from receiving Incapacity Benefit(which I initially had for LIFE in ’97 after it was obvious my conditions are progressive,very!) to the now Employment and Support Allowance, I had an appointment in Dec ’10 that id no notification of. I only knew of it when I received a letter from ATOS that “as you know!!! Your Dec ’10” appointment had been cancelled, re-scheduled for January, I got my GP to request a domiciliary visit for me, which was granted. On the visit I again never got any notification, so on the date the Dr came, I was asleep, luckily woke to get to the door in time, I requested to have assessment in my bedroom, to which the reply was, “why, don’t you have a living room”, to which I could only go ahead and have it while perching on the arm of my settee, even though I explained my pain level just laying in bed, getting shaved, brushing my teeth!
From having spondilolisthesis, 3 failed spinal fusions (3 screws and the 2 stefi plates are still loose!) , dx Fibromyalgia in Nov ’97 and I’m on 440mg MST plus15 diaz,20temaz and amitryptiline, doses not changed for years, I don’t wish to get on higher doses even though I am in pain even while trying to sleep, cannot sleep for pain, my mind not switching off, muscles won’t loosen, etc! I just don’t want to be doped any more than I am! Only slight successful thing was hydrotherapy, but over 49 miles away, we cannot live in water either.
I AM ASORRY, this is about PIP, just I fear the fact DLA is getting scrapped for PIP already. I got a letter in days ago stating I’m still in ESA, with my income spread out to show no decrease in benefit , but that I’ll have to see an employment advisor to get me back into employment,not the other option down from it which is you’re not going to be able to work! I also just got another letter in the mail today with a P45 in it!
I wish I could work, but with my condition I know its impossibe, unless there’s a job you can do from laying in bed or being able to perch for only about 30 minutes!!!
If that’s the way things are I’ll be dead by suicide by then.

ATOS got a three year extension to their contract from the Dept of work and pensions (DWP) today. DWP are said to be impressed by ATOS software (yeah right) so impressed that they are awarding the contract worth over over 100 million per year to ATOS- and just how much are the gov claiming to save? This amount could pay incapacity benefit to all that need it for more than three years!
More evidence, as if we didn’t know that consultations and reports (e.g the Harrington report on the work capability assessment –which didn’t go far enough) are pointless. See Crippen’s brilliant cartoon on consultation exercises.
ATOS also being put forward as the most likely group for DLA to PIP –heaven help us all
Keith Wilman, CEO for Atos Origin said:

“We have a successful and longstanding relationship with the Department for Work and Pensions and are committed to supporting the Government’s welfare reform agenda to help those who are able get back to work and regain their independence.”

Don’t you mean prevent independent living and make a lot of money Keith?

More outrage ESA 12 month limit details published by DWP. The 12 month time limit will be imposed from April 2012, but it will be retrospective. This means that claimants who have already been getting contribution-based ESA for 12 months will have their payments stopped immediately. The time limit does not apply to claimants in the support group or to claimants who are receiving income-related ESA- oh thats alright then
The DWP estimate that by 2016/17 around one million people will have been affected by the changes. Some will be able to claim some income-related ESA but around two thirds will lose over £90 per week of their ESA payments. Final losses to these claimants, after increases in other benefits such as housing benefit have been taken into account, will average around £50 a week. We think it will be much more

i think it is terible the goverment has nothing better to do than to pick on people with disbilitys i only actualy heard about it today i knew they would bring out a repalcement i think my slef it will come also with a medical and thats the bit i dont like cause they wont listen to your specialists theyll just make a byast appoininon themselves

I might as well be dead. I can’t fight them any more. If I contribute to their consultation they’ll say I’m fit enough to work. So I have to stay meek and silent. They don’t see what my life is like. I hate this wicked evil government and hope someone will take over our cause and do what the students are doing.
Applying for DLA was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. I can’t do it again.

It was apparent during the “consultation”? undertaken by Prof Harrison in relation to ESA/Incapacity medicals that although a great many people were complaining about their treatment and how the medical assessments were being managed that hardly anyone actually voiced their opinion by making a representation to him has invited to do so by DWP.So I strongly suggest that if you are concerned about the proposed changes to DLA that all affected people should voice their concerns and not sit back in the hope that someone else will do your bidding for you!!.The time is right for us all to unite has one entity and make our voices heard and to let them be heard LOUD and clear!!It just cannot be right that the disabled and those suffering with injuries/chronic pain etc are made to be the cowering dog in the corner waiting to be kicked again and again.How much longer must we have to read in the papers that we are scroungers and that we are responsible for the economic crisis that the country is facing?no one in their right mind can honestly believe such propaganda,but they keep putting it out there and slowly but surely the public at large take it on board and satisfy their frustrations by having someone to vent their anger at.Consequent on this the true culprit slips away whilst we the disabled are ripe for a good kicking.Enough is enough and the time is now right for every person affected by these proposals to make representations to those in power and let them know that we have a voice and that we are no longer prepared to just accept things without a decent fight.So rally round and stick together and act has one voice,do everything that you can to get your concerns across in a peaceful meaningful manner. DO SOMETHING!!

Its is totally ridiculous, I have worked 21 years been disabled out of services registered disabled, got pension from bt and ibm due to deteriation in health. I paid my taxes and worked I am not a scrounger. If the nhs can give lesley ash five million compensation for mrsa it is a ludicrous joke.

I just spent 30 minutes tapping in a lengthy reply about my condition and conditions,had IB,IS since Dec’96, long-term after Feb ’97 then first of 3 failed L5 to S1 spinal fusions on 3rd March ’97, i’d been telling my ortho that I was in pain all over from my first appointment, finally after being referred to Ruemy was dx’ed with FMS NOV 14th ’97. Long-term incap letter in ’97 stated I had it for life!
I got low rate care in oct 98, it was for 3 years, then full mob, mid care from Dec ’99, for 4 years, then 5, the last letter was “indefinately full care&mob”.

I just got a letter days ago following a domiciliary Assessment for ESA stating i’d still receive the same amounts, with detailed break-down of amounts IS,ESA & SDA (I never applied for attentance!!!). Another page stating id continue to receive ESA but had to see an employment advisor for support to get back to work, not the other option that I’m unable to work due to my conditions and won’t have to!
Today I got a P45 in the mail!
I wish I could work, but with pain even when laying still trying to sleep, not getting slept due to pain and over-tiredness and brain not switching off. What sort of job could I possibly do? When I can’t even sit at my laptop anymore? Even using my ipad is tiresome, I can’t sit without severe pain, I live in my bed. But the Dr who assessed me wouldn’t allow me to be assessed in my room when I asked, instead she said ” don’t you have a living room like?” I was taken aback so was forced to show her into my lving room with no tuned tv. I had to perch on the arm of my settee for it despite trying my best to do each test asked of me I had to shift to the arm of the next sette chair, but I rally wanted to be able to lay on my back, sweat drippibg of me, y et they think I am capable of working, if it comes to that id kill myself because I know its impossible!

I do believe something needs to be done to root out the cheaters, those who can or are still orking yet claiming benefits lying about it. But that Dr knew nothing about me, just what she guessed, who can see pain or plates and screws inside your back that are still loose after 3 failed attempts, even without that I’ve no muscles left there, just sfar tissue, did she even lift up my top? Nope!
I’m too tired, I hope yhis posts this time.
F J R

What is this ESA please? I have been on DLA since 1997, back, knees, three heart attacks and only today found this site! If I lose my DLA I will not be able to live, I live on £10 a week for food now, when all the bills are paid, never go out, can’t travel on buses with pain, what are disabled people going to do? They told me I would have help for life! If they change their minds on that, can we sue them???? Because we can’t manage without help from DLA, worried to death!!!!

This is what you get when you vote Tory.
The last time they were in government they took away my living when they abolished the dock labour board scheme which protected the dock workers from being exploited by employers and now I am facing another personal attack on my living standards with benefit changes and cuts.Unless you are a millinaire, people must have bloody short memories or are plain stupid to vote this shower back in.
You Reap What You Sow I`m afraid.

I am now an ex Conservative , I feel betrayed by them. But they do not care. They do not listen. They have conned the Nation. We as disabled people have become a target. Maybe this is because of all the scroungers and fakers. But why make us all suffer. I am disgusted with this country. I have waited for two years to have my teeth treated and still waiting. I have waited much much longer waiting for an operation to stop pain. How many of us are being driven to take our own lives. Now they are trying to rob us of our dignity. I go to bed at night hoping I could go in my sleep. I do not yet have the courage to end my life but soon I may find it. If as happened to some of my friends I lose the benefits I am entitled to, Then I shall take a long walk over the moors with a bottle of brandy and my pills. I have said of this Government that The Lunatics have taken over The Asylum. After years of support I have given to them I am now ashamed of them. I cannot understand much of what they are doing but they are wrong. They will not listen.